The parliamentary spokesman of Unidas Podemos, Pablo Echenique, during his speech at the Permanent Deputation of Congress this Wednesday in Madrid.MARISCAL AGENCIA EFE (EFE)
Pablo Echenique has said goodbye this Wednesday as parliamentary spokesman of Unidas Podemos. During the session of the Permanent Deputation of the Congress, the also Secretary of Program of the party directed by Ione Belarra, who did not attend the lists of Sumar on July 23, has taken advantage of the last speech to announce his return to the profession of scientist to the CSIC, remember Pablo Iglesias and Irene Montero and throw a dart at the Lower House. "What a shame that, after more than four years of having the first parliamentary speaker in a wheelchair, this house has not had the decency to send a clear message to society about the political participation of people with disabilities in conditions of non-discrimination," said the leader, who already denounced this issue some time ago.
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In February 2020, the Congress Bureau gave its approval to a reform that consisted of the installation of a mechanical system of lifting platforms and the widening of one of the stairs so that Echenique could sit on the bench of his group. The works, however, were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. In the summer of 2021 they were postponed again because Patrimonio issued unfavorable reports to the project, which, it considered, affected protected architectural elements. Parliamentary sources explain that the Bureau requested another report, this time from the Royal Board of Disability. In 2019, when he was not spokesman, Congress did adjust the computer system of Echenique's seat so that he could vote in plenary sessions and years ago reforms were made to facilitate general access to the lower house building in the San Jerónimo race.
Already in September 2022, the Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disabilities (CERMI) sent a letter to the Committee on Petitions of the Congress in which it urged the Bureau, the Presidency and the General Secretariat to "quickly correct the serious problems of accessibility for people with disabilities" of the hemicycle. "The lack of accessibility of this parliamentary environment violates the state laws dictated by that same Parliament and suppose an affront and a radical disregard to the more than 4.5 million people with disabilities in Spain, who are symbolically ignored by a State Power that should protect them especially (Article 49 of the Spanish Constitution)", pointed to the text.
At the same time, Echenique, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy and a disability that forces him to move in a wheelchair, again addressed Batet in a letter that he made public to ask him if there was "any possibility", in the remainder of the legislature, "to adapt any seat in the row of Parliamentary Spokesmen" to exercise his work "on equal terms". Podemos sources affirm that they did not receive a response to this letter.
"Today is my last speech here and here my trip ends. In a few days, I will request to return to active service at the CSIC to continue my work as a scientist, "he announced during his speech on Wednesday. The farewell speech also remembered the founder of the party and his number two, Irene Montero, who was also excluded from the lists (and who, like him, denounced a veto to his own figure). "A little over four years ago, Pablo Iglesias asked the people for an opportunity to govern and told them that, if we did not manage to change some important things from the government, they would never vote for us again. Today I say goodbye to this chamber, but I do so with the pride of knowing that we have done something very unusual in politics: keep our word, "he wanted to claim the role of his formation.
Echenique has defended a way of doing politics for others. "Every morning I woke up reminding myself that this is not about me", and has named Montero by remembering that "a transformative political project can only be" if "as she said one day" she "really want for people who do not know anything the same as for those we love most: a dignified, happy and complete life." The spokesman has also said goodbye "proud of having made a lot of noise", in contrast to the forms that the vice president and leader of Sumar, Yolanda Díaz, has always defended.
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In statements to the media after the Permanent Deputation, Echenique has claimed "political autonomy" for Podemos in the legislature that begins and has defended Belarra's criticism of the electoral results of Sumar on Sunday. "The general secretary of Podemos told the truth," Echenique has reinforced, referring to the analysis that the party leader disseminated just 12 hours after the results were known, and in which she considered that the strategy of Sumar had not worked. "The political space of which Podemos is part has lost 700,000 votes and seven seats. This is what I put on the coattails of all election analysis on Sunday night. From there, everyone will decide whether to do self-criticism or not. From Podemos we value that the strategy of making feminism invisible and making Podemos invisible has not worked," he emphasized. Both the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, and the federal coordinator of the United Left, Alberto Garzón, have made a different assessment. The presidential candidate herself emphasized on Tuesday that the progressive forces had gone from obtaining one million votes in the regional elections of 28-M to three million in the general elections of this Sunday.
"I want to make it clear that beyond the results of our space, we value very positively that people have voted that there is no majority of PP and Vox," he said. Asked if he believes that Podemos, with only five deputies in a group of 31, will be diluted in the new legislature, Echenique stressed that this formation is an "indispensable political project for there to be profound transformations", which requires facing "the established powers". The spokesman has also demanded "political autonomy" within Sumar.
As a member of the Executive of Podemos, a party of which he has been part since its birth in 2014, Echenique has not clarified what his role will be from now on in the organization. "I have to discuss it with the general secretary. I will be where I am asked. I am clear that I will always be a militant of Podemos, "he said.
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